Behavioral responses of red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) to viewing a conspecific distressed by 4-Aminopyridine

4-Aminopyridine (4-AP) is the only pesticide that can be legally used in the US to reduce bird damage in ripening grain fields. Birds that consume grain baits treated with 4-AP (‘Avitrol’ FC-99®) exhibit erratic behavior and emit vocalizations that presumably scare away the rest of the flock. Yet the behavior of 4-A Pintoxicated birds has not been documented, and we do not know how other birds react when observing these intoxicated birds or what these observers learn from their experience. Hence, we examined the behavior of 15 4-A Pintoxicated red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus (L.)) and found that initial signs of intoxication occurred 12.5 min after consumption of the bait, with death following 16.3 min later. During this 16-min intoxication period, birds gradually lost muscular control, making their movements and vocalizations weaker until hardly perceptible. Other captive red-winged blackbirds (‘observers’) gave more alarm calls while witnessing a 4-A P-intoxicated bird in one room of their cage (treatment period) than they did during the pre-treatment period. Immediately after the intoxicated bird died and was removed from the room, the observers' behaviour returned to pre-treatment levels. Broadcasting calls of an intoxicated bird or the placement of an untreated bird in one of the rooms had little effect on the observers' behavior. In another experiment, the placement of a 4-A Pintoxicated or untreated red-winged blackbird or the broadcast of calls of an intoxicated bird at a feed station did not affect the number of free-ranging conspecifics feeding, within sight of, or vocalizing at, these feeder stations. These results suggest that red-winged blackbirds learn little from witnessing a distressed conspecific.     

Determination of sulfamethazine and trimethoprim in liquid feed premixes by HPLC and diode array detection, with an analysis of the uncertainty of the analytical results.

Sulfamethazine (SMZ) and trimethoprim (TMP) are antibacterials used in veterinary practice. This paper describes a method for their determination in veterinary liquid feed premixes that is based on liquid chromatography with diode array detection. Gradient elution with methanol and ammonium acetate achieved excellent separation of the two analytes within 15 min without any interference from the matrix. Absorbance of the column effluent was monitored at 264 nm for SMZ and at 230 nm for TMP. Detailed analyses of the uncertainties of determinations afford estimated expanded uncertainties of, respectively, 0.2 and 0.1 w/v % for typical SMZ and TMP concentrations of 10.7 and 2.1 w/v %, respectively. At the lower end of the calibrated range of the method, the dominant source of uncertainty is the preparation of standards and the construction of the calibration line.     

Laboratory-based surveillance of salmonellosis of humans in Germany--safety of Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella enteritidis live vaccines]

The Paul Ehrlich Institute, Langen, in Germany has been licensed different live vaccines of S. Typhimurium and S. Enteritidis for use in the veterinary medicine since I the 90s. The Robert Koch Institute has established a lab-based surveillance system for these live vaccine strains for an evaluation of recent public health safety. Since 2000 all strains of S. Typhimurium and S. Enteritidis from humans were investigated in respect to their phage types and other vaccine markers. 3676 S. Typhimurium strains and 4489 S. Enteritidis strains mainly from Salmonellose patients were investigated after phage typing according to their auxotrophic or antibiotic resistance markers. The live vaccine strains of Zoosaloral, TAD Salmonella vacT or TAD Salmonella vacE and Salmovac SE could not be found from infections in humans.     

The effect of eradication of lice on the occurrence of the grain defect light flecks and spots on cattle hides.

The influence of an eradication programme for lice on the prevalence of light flecks and spots on cattle hides was studied in 33 dairy cattle herds during a period of two and a half years. Lice were eradicated from the main group of herds after 9 to 12 months and the quality of the hides before and after treatment was compared. Hides from slaughtered animals were collected during the study period, tanned and examined with special emphasis on the occurrence of the grain damage light flecks and spots. The prevalence of hides without light flecks and spots increased from 24.2% before treatment to 61.6% after treatment. The prevalence of hides free from the damage increased significantly in all examined anatomical regions. The improvement in hide quality was most marked in the shoulders and neck region which corresponded to the major predilection site of cattle lice. The prevalence of hides with light flecks and spots started to decrease in the first period (2-40 days) after eradication. The changes after treatment suggested that most healing process took place over a period of about 4 months. The eradication programme eliminated the seasonal variation in the prevalence of light flecks and spots which was present before treatment.     

Effect of concentrate crude protein level on grass silage intake, milk yield and nutrient utilisation by dairy cows in early lactation.

Twenty-one multiparous dairy cows were fed concentrates containing three levels (119, 154 and 191 g/kg DM) of crude protein (CP) during the first ten weeks of lactation. Part of the grain and molassed sugar beat pulp was substituted with 0% (RSM0), 15% (RSM15) or 30% (RSM30) repeseed meal. Wilted grass silage was fed ad libitum after calving. The average response between RSM0 and RSM15 was +1.66 kg milk/d per percentage unit change in concentrate CP content. No further response occurred between RSM15 and RSM30. The positive effect of RSM inclusion was seen throughout the experimental period and was associated with increased plasma non esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and decreased plasma insulin concentration one week after calving, and higher efficiency of metabolisable energy utilisation for milk production. Digestibility of the diet remained unaffected. Milk and plasma urea tended to increase with RSM30 indicating excessive supply of rumen degradable protein. Because of the limited potential of cows to compensate for a deficit in feed protein supply by mobilising tissue protein, a substantial milk yield response can be achieved with a moderate level of protein supplementation during early lactation.     

Evaluation of Sperm-Activating Solutions in Atlantic Salmon Salmo salar Fertilization Tests

The use of saline solutions was tested to determine their efficacy as replacements for ovarian fluid as sperm activators and to eliminate variability encountered with the use of Ovarian fluid. We tested fertilization rate of semen from eight males on Atlantic salmon Salmo salar eggs after five sperm-activating solutions and a non-activating saline were substituted for ovarian fluid. We used solutions shown acceptable for use with other salmonid species. The six solutions tested were a non sperm-activating phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, 7.2 g/L NaCl, 1.48 g/L Na₂HPO₄, 0.43 g/L K H₂PO₄), a Tris buffer (6.99 g/L NaCl, 3.63 g/L Tris and 2.42 g/L glycine), a Borax buffer (12.2 g boric acid/L in solution 1, 76 g disodium tetraborate/L combined 100:118, then 1 L combined with 3.7 L water and 18 g NaCl), and three solutions of 9.25 g/L (125 mM) NaCl buffered to pH 6.0, 7.5, and 8.9. The latter five solutions activated sperm immediately on contact, while PBS required additional water to activate sperm. The PBS solution was the least effective (mean percent eyed eggs 37.6%) for egg fertilization. The mean percent eyed eggs for the other five saline solutions (range 78% to 86%) were not significantly different. Sperm from one male provided significantly lower egg fertilization (39.6%) when compared with the other seven males (67.2–87.4% egg fertilization). Percent egg fertilization was not related to number of live sperm cells per egg. Our results show that osmotically-balanced sperm-activation solutions, even those with a pH range from 6.0 to 8.9 provide adequate media for fertilization of Atlantic salmon eggs. Fertilization in a deactivation saline and water reactivation of sperm resulted in low egg fertilization.     

Determination of bacterial N portions in feces and differently collected ileum chymus from swine]

In faeces and ileal digesta samples of 31 intact (INT) as well as 73 surgically differently prepared pigs bacterial fractionations and 2.6-diaminopimelic acid (DAP) estimations were carried out in order to calculate the bacterial N proportion in faeces N and digesta N after feeding various diets. Because of a high individual variability and the analytical variation width of the DAP/N-ratios no distinct influences of the fed diets could be found. The average DAP/N-values in the faeces (0.224) of INT pigs ranged in the same magnitude as in the digesta (0.0272) of ileorectostomized (IRA) pigs with open colon descendens (IRAo), where a digesta backflow is possible. Distinct lower DAP/N-ratios (0.0125 resp. 0.0043), however, were found in the digesta of pigs with ileo-caecal cannulae (IZB) or IRA pigs with closed colon (IRAg). On the base of various premises (N of the "bacterial fraction" C is only bacterial N; the DAP found in fraction A originates from intestinal bacteria adhering to feed particles) conducted calculations of the bacterial N proportions (in per cent of total N) led to the following data: Faeces of INT pigs: 43.0 ... 68.2 vs. 69.6 ... 89.0; digesta of operated pigs (except protein free diet) IRAo: 22.3 ... 57.0 vs. 46.2 ... 73.8; IZB: 17.0 ... 35.7 vs. 25.2 ... 53.6; IRAg (only 3 pigs): 23.6 vs. 24.2. The proportion of bacterial N in the digesta N of protein free fed IRAo pigs was 22.0 vs. 22.6%.     

Comments on the method to test side effects of pesticides on the predatory mitePhytoseiulus persimilis Ath.-Hen

A paper published byKniehase & Zoebelein (1990) describes a new laboratory method to test the side effects of pesticides on the predatory mitePhytoseiulus persimilis and criticizes the laboratory test developed by the International Working Group pesticides and beneficial organisms of the International Organization for Biological Control (IOBC), West Palaearctic Regional Section (WPRS). The present publication discusses the advantages and disadvantages of both methods, responds to the criticism and mention the overall concept of the IOBC/WPRS Working Group including semifield and field test methods.In einer Arbeit vonKniehase undZoebelein (1990) wird ein neues Laborverfahren zur Prüfung der Nebenwirkung von Pflanzenschutzmitteln auf die RaubmilbePhytoseiulus persimilis beschrieben. Die genannten Autoren äußern sich kritisch über das seither von der Arbeitsgruppe Pflanzenschutzmittel und Nutzorganismen der International Organization for Biological Control (IOBC), West Palaearctic Regional Section (WPRS) praktizierte Verfahren. In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden die Vor- und Nachteile der beiden Prüfmethoden diskutiert. Einer Reaktion auf die Kritik folgt eine kurze Beschreibung der gesamten Konzeption der genannten Arbeitsgruppe, die auf einer Kombination aus Labor-, Halbfreiland- und Feldprüfverfahren beruht.     

The hymenopterous parasites of Nitidulidae

The known information on hymenopterous parasites of Nitidulidae was consolidated in this article. Species of parasites, nitidulid hosts and, where possible, plant host of the nitidulids are provided along with citations to sources of information. Thirty-three species of hymenopterous parasites are recorded in nine different families. Since nomenclature of several of the parasites has changed, it was updated with the assistance of specialists.     

Depression of polymorphonuclear leukocyte function associated with experimentally induced Escherichia coli mastitis in sows

In a study of susceptibilities of sows from 2 herds to experimentally induced Escherichia coli mastitis, a marked difference was seen. The "susceptible" sows were from a conventional herd and "resistant" sows were from a specific-pathogen-free herd. The purpose of the study was to determine whether deficient neutrophil function was associated with increased susceptibility to E coli-induced mastitis. Four in vitro procedures were used to evaluate polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) function: (i) random migration under agarose, (ii) ingestion of 125I-iododeoxyuridine-labeled Staphylococcus aureus, (iii) quantitative nitroblue tetrazolium reduction, and (iv) iodination. After parturition and intramammary inoculation with E coli, sows from the susceptible herd were neutropenic and the neutrophils which were present in the peripheral blood had reduced function. Specifically, there were depressed random migration under agarose, S aureus ingestion, and iodination when compared with PMN function in resistant sows. These data indicate that susceptibility to E coli mastitis was associated with deficiencies in PMN numbers and function. Potential causes of the neutrophil dysfunction are discussed and include possible systemic hormonal aberrations or the presence of an inapparent viral or bacterial infection.